Anglers See Squid, Sharks In Hermosa

Fishing in the South Bay off the Hermosa Beach coast, which means there are predators.

While , sand bass and  are also common—several thresher sharks recently have been caught near the Hermosa Beach Pier.

Outside of Hermosa, thresher sharks have continued to bite strong from La Jolla to the Santa Monica Bay—especially 40 to 80 pound threshers.

Shark fishing made headlines this week when a YouTube video posted by someone with the username Ograza 13 may come back to bite him in the posterior. On Tuesday, Orgraza 13 posted a video of someone catching an immature great white shark off the Huntington Beach Pier.

• Watch: Angler Reels in Great White Shark [Warning: Profanity]

The shark was gaffed with a three-pronged rope gaff, hauled up and slammed down on the pier. As it bled and chomped its teeth, it was dragged around the pier.

Great white sharks have been protected in California waters since 1994. Unlawful take and possession of these creatures is a misdemeanor that can bring heavy fines and jail time.  

Capt. Dan Sforza from the state Department of Fish and Game told Pete Thomas Outdoors that the evidence is mounting.

"We have the shark and we've identified who caught the shark," Sforza said. "We are investigating and nobody is going to get away with anything."

Sforza would not release the name of the angler who caught the shark.

As the shark was being caught, there were a lot of surfers nearby. Statistically, they were in very little danger. Juvenile white sharks feed mostly on halibut, rays and smaller sharks, as well as smaller fish. When they reach about 10 feet, they migrate offshore and begin to feed on sea lions and other pinnipeds. 

This is not the first time that a YouTube video has been used as evidence in a Fish and Game violation. Jon Apothaker caught a protected black sea bass on Jan. 3 off the Balboa Pier. Several bystanders posted his catch on YouTube, and he was sentenced to 120 hours of community service.